1. We believe the Bible to be inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God and that it is supreme and the final authority (II Timothy 3:16,17)

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2. We believe in the trinity as eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (1 John 5:7)

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3. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious death and atonement through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His present priestly ministry. (1 Timothy 3:16; Romans 3:25,26)

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4. We believe in evangelistic and missionary fervor and endeavor. (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15-18)

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5. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. We further believe in the keeping power of God. (Hebrews 9:22;Jude 24,25)

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6. We believe in sanctification and holiness and the overcoming life in God’s design for the church, which is the Bride of Christ. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

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7. We believe that sexual purity is a necessary expression for all of God’s children and requires abstinence from adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, or other sexual relationships or practices forbidden by Scripture. (Romans 1:26-27,Hebrews 13:4, I Corinthians 6:18;Leviticus 18:1-30)

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8. We believe marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime and a sacred institution established by God. (Matthew 19:4-6)

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9. We believe Baptism is an outward expression of an inward acceptance of Jesus (Acts 10:47-48)

10. We believe that Baptism is for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and to be administered by immersion, thus bearing witness to the gospel of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection for us, and our new life in Him. Christ (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4)

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11. We believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost and in the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit as evidenced in charismatic gifts and ministries, and in the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. (Acts 2:4, 10:46, 19:6; Ephesians 4:11; I Corinthians 12:8-11; Galatians 5:22,23)

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12. We believe that divine healing is obtained on the basis of the atonement. (I Peter 2:24; Matthew 8:17)

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13. We believe that the resurrection of the church (rapture) will occur prior to the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10)

The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe.

The Bible outlines four types (or you could say four categories) of giving:

1.    Offering

An offering in its simplest definition is: What you give above the tithe.

This is not only a further way that we demonstrate trust in God.  But is also a part of worship to God and our giving brings honor to Him.

Biblical giving in the New Testament is always in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

II Corinthians 9:6  [Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings. 

II Corinthians 9:7  Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, "prompt to do it") giver [whose heart is in his giving].

II Corinthians 9:8  And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].   AMPC

Offerings can be done in a variety of ways.

When you give your offering into Victory Life Church you have the opportunity to designate where your giving goes.  You can give to either the general fund or into a particular Church function or ministry as the opportunity is presented.

Throughout the year we will have different ministers and missionaries in to share at Church.  We will also present other opportunities to give into ministries that are making a difference around the world.

Giving offerings to honor a minister or particular ministry can be found by example, in many books of the Bible.

( 2 Kings 4:9-10, Matthew 25:40, Luke 8:1-3, Galatians 6:6, Philippians 4:11-19 )

And finally, throughout each year our Church’s general fund is used to assist other ministries.  When we bless others, we know that we are heaping blessings upon our Church.

Proverbs 11:25  Be generous, and you will be prosperous. Help others, and you will be helped.  GNB

2.    Tithing

The tithe, by definition, means 10% of our gross income.

It is not something that we give to God like the offering.  The tithe actually belongs to Him. And according to the verses below, the tither has a blessing attached to it:

Malachi 3:10  Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. 

Malachi 3:11  "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts; 

Malachi 3:12  And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land," Says the LORD of hosts.  NKJV

The law of tithing existed from the beginning and continues today. The first distinct mention of the word “tithe” in the Bible is in the very first book of the Old Testament. Abram … was met by Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God. Melchizedek blessed him, and Abram “gave him tithes of all.” (Gen. 14:20.) … “Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.” [Gen. 28:20–22.] The third mention is in connection with the Levitical law. The Lord spoke through Moses:“And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord.” (Lev. 27:30.)

Below are some simple reasons why we tithe:

1. It provides for God’s house.

2. It tells God I trust Him.  Tithing reflects deeper spiritual dependence, not a charitable gesture.

3. It creates a margin in my life for God to fill. By giving first, you make room for God to fill the gaps.

4. It reminds me that I am not my source.

5. It connects my money to a kingdom purpose.

6. It gives my job eternal significance. It links daily earnings to eternal outcomes.

7. It breaks greed and self‑reliance off my heart. It disrupts greed and makes God the priority.

8. It lets everything else in my life know that God is first.

3.    First Fruits Giving

First fruits is giving that a believer does after receiving a “raise, bonus, or surplus”.

By acknowledging that increase comes from God, we set ourselves apart for further increase.

Proverbs 3:9  Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 

Proverbs 3:10  then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.  ESV

Deuteronomy 26:1  “When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, 

Deuteronomy 26:2  you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. 

Deuteronomy 26:3  And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, ‘I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.’ 

Deuteronomy 26:4  Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God. 

Deuteronomy 26:5  “And you shall make response before the LORD your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. 

4.    Almsgiving

Giving to the poor according to the Bible, is called almsgiving.

Matthew 6:3  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 

Matthew 6:4  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.  KJV

Many translations will replace “alms” in verse 3 with “the poor” or “the needy”

Proverbs 19:17  The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the LORD, and the LORD will repay him for his good deed.  NET

Proverbs 28:27  Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.  NLT

Proverbs 28:8  Income from charging high interest rates will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor.  NLT

Whatever giving we find ourselves doing, it reminds us of what we truly value.

Matthew 6:19  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 

Matthew 6:20  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

Matthew 6:21  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  ESV

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps 139.)

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:18-25.) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman in the confines of marriage(1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4.) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor 6:9-10.) We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Victory Life Church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to our members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by Victory Life Church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. (Matt 5:16; Phil 2:14-16; 1 Thess 5:22.) We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11.) We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31.) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Victory Life Church.